It is almost 43 years on from that April night when Glasgow hosted the semi-finals of the two major European trophies and those who have survived the rigours of the subsequent seasons cannot quite remember the weather, only the feverish heat of battle.

There was a chill in the air at Celtic Park tonight that owed something to a Caledonian February but something, too, to a reality that a succession of warm application of nostalgia could do little to banish.

The potent spirit of 1967 - that series of numbers that can unlock thousands of mobile phones, access a myriad of bank accounts and still an estate of house alarms - was invoked loudly and proudly.

The memories of 1972 when Rangers could defeat Bayern Munich to reach a European Cup-winner's Cup final and Celtic take Inter Milan to the last kick in a battle for a European Cup final place were forcefully stirred but now seem but the product of a mind unduly affected by the effects of psychedelic drugs.

That was then. And this is now.

The ability, though, of Celtic Park to create the atmosphere of times past remains undiminished. The capacity for football to serve up extraordinary drama endures down the ages, whether one takes 1972 or 1967 as a reference point.

The brutal, inescapable truth is that this Celtic team and that of Inter cannot compare with those of the past. The floodlights tonight sent out pre-match a series of long shadows as the surviving Lisbon Lions came in to the sort of reception afforded to Roman generals who had just achieved a good away result in Gaul. The programme reminded the spectator of the 1972 Celtic-Inter match where five Lions were backed by the cubs of George Connelly, Kenny Dalglish and Lou Macari.

One does not have to be an ageing curmudgeon to state that such riches are in the vaults of memory.

The over-riding plot line of a dramatic encounter, rather, was lung-bursting spirit rather than breath-taking technique. This was a smashing match with Celtic coming back from 0-2 and 2-3 down to keep Celtic Park at fever pitch. It was marked with will and drive and heart. It was not, though, infused with extraordinary class.

Inter's Zdravko Kuzmanovic and Xherdan Shaqiri were conspicuous in style and skill but would only be rated truly exceptional by those compiling a Scrabble score. This was a mediocre Serie A side facing the leaders in a SPFL Premiership that has been starved of television money and is pillaged by rich neighbours.

A first half of five goals, including a gaudy mistake by a goalkeeper who been a hero of epic proportions in Celtic's European battles this season, is a definitive indicator of incident. It was also a pointer to the deficiencies of both sides.

Roberto Mancini, the Inter manager, was culpable in not closing the game out from two strong positions.

His players, too, cannot escape culpability for errors in concentration and tracking that would have Italian defenders birling so much in their graves they would be in breach of fracking regulations.

This may be construed as an insult to Celtic. It is not intended as such. But the Scottish champions' admirable refusal to lie down should not conceal the reasons why they were on their knees in the first place.

The brio of Gary Mackay-Steven, the dangerous incursions of Stuart Armstrong, who scored one goal and forced the own goal that produced the the first equaliser, the pace and precision of Adam Matthews on the right flank, the constant effort and occasional deftness of touch from Stefan Johansen, all of this should not be allowed to disguise the truth that this is a Celtic team who fails European examinations rather than one that excels in them.

They drew tonight but progress in the Europa League remains in the high dependency unit.

There are many reasons for this, most of them rectangular in shape and accepted by banks throughout the world. This is a money game and the lack of it is shown in key areas. Celtic defended poorly but the central defence is manned by Virgil Van Dijk, a Dutch defender who may become top-class but is short of it now and Jason Denayer, a 19-year-old on loan from Manchester City, so surprise at this observation should be limited.

There was also a problem at the point of attack. Leigh Griffiths has many qualities and will improve but only top strikers prosper in Europe after Christmas and he left the field after 74 minutes without having threatened Inter.

His replacement, John Guidetti, another loan signing from Manchester City, scored a sensational equaliser but he is at Celtic for a reason and it is not that he is too good for the English Premier League.

The Celtic support celebrated at the end of a pulsating match but the sober view was of a mosaic that was made up of a team aiming for improvement rather than achieving excellence.

All errors have a consequence. That deficit can be measured in the 22 goals Celtic have lost in European competition this season.

The Celtic support loudly enhanced its reputation as an inspiring support last night but it was the large depiction of a television screen that told a story that could not be denied. It held the painted images of Steve Chalmers and others in 1967 but TV holds a truth beyond glory.

It is this: Italian clubs will share £900m in television revenue this season. The English clubs earn more. Celtic gather their share in the equivalent of a polystyrene cup.

There was feverish excitement at Parkhead tonight but the consequences of this disparity provoke a shudder that owes nothing to the seasonal chill